Thursday, September 4, 2008

NFL Preview Part 7: NFC South

Well this one is gonna be interesting....

Carolina Panthers (9-7) - Well, here we are in the biggest crapshoot division of all....I'll take Carolina...but I don't know why....Jake Delhomme is back and although I've never been a big fan, he's been semi-effective when healthy....the RB tandem should be solid/effective with rookie Jonathan Stewart and vet Deangelo Williams....the WR corps on paper is better but with big injury risks with #1 and #2 Steve Smith and DJ Hackett...it could almost be a trainwreck....Honestly, the biggest reason why I even have a team in this division over .500 is because the entire division plays the AFC West...and get to see the Falcons twice....The defense is solid but not spectacular...but Carolina will do just enough to win the division

New Orleans Saints (8-8) - This is the only team with any offensive explosion in this division...especially in the passing game...Drew Brees attempted the most passes in the history of the league last year, and that will have to change in order to provide more balance, but I'm a Brees fan....between Reggie Bush, Pierre Thomas, and the Deuce...somebody has to be consistent between the tackles...and I don't think it's Bush....the WR corps is good led by Colston, and figurative rookie Robert Meachem could surprise....The run D should be acceptable helped by new rookie DT Sedrick Ellis and a (at times) very good D-Line including Charles Grant and Will Smith...the pass D was, in a word, atrocious last year...mostly due to Colts re-tread Jason David giving up a myriad of big plays...if he sures it up a bit, that unit will be improved....but the defense isn't good enough to sustain a division-winning effort

Tampa Bay Bucs (8-8) - The Bucs and Saints are a dead-heat in my mind...but are very different teams...Tampa is still reliant on ball control and defense and with exceptional game manager Jeff Garcia behind center, they shouldn't miss a beat...I'm a big fan of Earnest Graham, and with any sort of similar effort to last year, he'll approach 1500 total yards with the starting spot being totally his now....WR is a weakness but the never-aging Joey Galloway leads the way....The defense is the best in the division with a balance that is unmatched...Ronde Barber and Philip Buchanon form a solid CB tandem and with one of the best LB corps in the league, this unit is very solid....I just don't see the firepower on offense to do much damage in the long run....

Atlanta Falcons (4-12) - Forgive me if I get carried away here...as this is "my" team....There is one area in which the Falcons could be above-average this year, and that is in the running game....with the inside/outside duo of Michael Turner and Jerrious Norwood, they could make noise here....elsewhere...below average-to-bad is the norm....Matt Ryan is a work in progress obviously as every rookie QB in the last 10 years has been quite suspect (Ben Roethlisberger not withstanding), but some flashes of greatness would be enough to satisfy me....The defense is an entirely different animal....the defensive tackle spot is likely the worst in the entire NFL with exactly one near-quality option available (Grady Jackson) and he can only play in run situations....The Linebackers are the strength with Michael Boley, Keith Brooking, and rookie Curtis Lofton...Brooking could return to Pro Bowl form going back to his favorite place at WLB....but this secondary has the potential to be a trainwreck....former Practice squad wonder Brent Grimes will start alongside Chris Houston at corner to form likely the worst duo in the league...and although the safeties are universally respected, Lawyer Milloy is unreliable in coverage, and is really best used as an 8th man in the box at this point....All that to say...6 wins would be exceeding expectations, and they won't win less than 2...so I'll split the difference and go with 4....